Governor Bevin Pitches Pension Reforms to Rural Kentucky

Gov. Matt Bevin is pitching to business groups across the state his bill that would—among other things—move most future and some current state workers onto 401(k) style plans.  Lawmakers in rural parts of the state have been slow to support the proposal. 

The plan has drawn fire from state employees who worry that future hires and current ones affected by the changes would receive less-generous benefits from the state. 

At a presentation given to the London Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Bevin said Kentuckians should have known from his campaign messaging that these changes were coming. 
“Anybody that was paying attention or went and looked for themselves and did the homework and did read what was put out there cannot say they did not understand what I was calling for,”  said Bevin. 
 

Lawmakers—especially ones from rural parts of the state where government is sometimes the largest employer—have been slow to come around on the plan. 
 

With the state Senate likely to approve the plan, Bevin can afford to lose a few Republican votes in the state House of Representatives, which has 64 GOP members out of 100 after last year's elections. 
I’m Ryland Barton in Frankfort.